Electromagnetically-actuated device.



No. 854,824. I PATENTED MAY 28, 1907. R. P. JACKSON. ELBGTROMAGNETIGALLY AGTUATED DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1905.

' WITNESSES: I IN ENTOR MW y 7 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

RAY P. JACKSON, OF VVILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COR,-

PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, i907.

Application filed April 3, 1905. Serial No- 253,640.

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAY P. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of W'ilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electromagnetically-Actuated Devices, of which the following is a specification.

. My inventionrelates to electro-magnetically actuated devices, and particularly to such as are employed for the purpose of operating switches and similar mechanisms when more than a predetermined amount of current traverses a circuit.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved device of the character indicated'.

It is a well known fact that,-in the use of an electro-magnet comprising a magnetizing winding, a magnetizable core and an armature that is movable against the force of gravity or the resistance exerted by a spring, the amount of magnetizing current required to operate the armature decreases very rapidly as the air-gap between the armature and the magnetizable core is decreased. If such magnets are employed for the purpose of operating switches or other similar mechanisms when more than a predetermined amount of current traverses a circuit with which the magnetizing winding of the device is electrically connected, the current requlred to maintain the armature 1n engagement with its core, or to maintain the switch or the other mechanism in a predetermined position, will be less than that required to operate the armature in the first instance, provided the air-gap is decreased by such operation.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a device for operating switches and other mechanism, when more than a predetermined amount of current traverses a circuit, in which the amount of magnetizing current for the device shall not be less after the device is actuated than is required to actuate the device in the first instance.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing illustrates a device constructed in accordance with my invention.

A magnetizable core -1 having opposing concave polar faces 2 and 3 is provided with magnetizing coils 4 that may be connected in any suitable circuit, such as one in which it is desired to prevent a flow of current inexcess of a predetermined amount. A pivotally-supported armature core 5 is provided with a closed-circuit winding 6, that may comprise one or more turns of any suitable conductor, the plane of the winding being normally maintained atangles to the direction of the flux between the polar faces by means of a spring 7, the ends of which are attached, respectively, to a stationary support 8 and to the outer end of an arm 9 that is carried by the armature core 5. A movable switch member 10 that is carried by the arm 9 is adapted to. engage a stationary switch terminal 11 when the plane of the winding 6 is moved into alinement with the axes of the pole pieces of the magnetizable core 1, and these switch members may control any suitable circuit, such as that of the tripping coil of a circuit-breaker (not shown) or of a voltage regulator (not shown), or any other suitable device.

When the coils 4 are energized, a magnetic field is established between the polar faces 2 and 3 and through the closed-circuit winding 6, which tends to move the winding into parallel or coincident relation with it. As the plane of the winding 6 approaches coincidcnce with the direction of the flux between the polar faces 2 and 3, the amount of magnetizing current required to cause closer coincidence rapidly increases, because of the greater intensity of the field required to cause the closed-circuit winding 6 to inclose a suflicient amount of flux to overcome the tension exerted by the spring 7.

Thus it is seen that when the current traversing'the circuit of the magnetizing wind ing 4 exceeds a predetermined amount, the switch member 10 will be brought into engagement with the contact terminal 11 and will be maintained in engagement therewith until the amount of current again falls below that predetermined amount.

It will be understood that my invention is not restricted to specific details as regards form, dimensions or relations of parts.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a magnetizable core having opposing pole faces and a magnetizing winding, of an armature core rotatably supported between said pole faces and i normally maintained at an angle to the direction of the flux between the pole faces.

2. The combination with a magnetizable core having opposing pole faces and a winding therefor, of an armature core rotatably mounted between said pole faces, a closedcircuit winding carried by the armature core with its central plane parallel to the arma ture axis, means for normally maintaining the plane of the closed-circuit winding at an angle to the direction of the flux between the pole faces of the magnetizable core, and a switch that is operated by the armature when the current traversing the circuit of the magnetizing winding exceeds a predetermined amount.

3. The combination with a magnetizable core having opposing pole faces and a Winding therefor, of an armature core rotatably mounted between the pole faces and provided With a closed-circuit winding the plane of which is parallel to the armature axis and is normally maintained at an angle to the seemedirection of the flux between the pole faces of the magnetizable core and that approaches coincidence therewith as the current traversing the magnetizing winding increases in amount.

4:. The combination with a magnetizable core having separated, opposing pole faces and a magnetizing winding, of an armature pivotally supported between the pole faces and having a closed-circuit winding the central plane of which is parallel to the armature axis, a spring that tends to hold said member in such position that its winding shall be angularly disposed with reference to the magnetic flux between the pole faces and a pair of contact terminals one of which is supported by-said armature.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of March,

RAY P. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

F. E. WYNNE, BIRNEY HINES. 

